The Stimson Center’s Japan Program is proud to present the 5th annual Voices from Japan symposium. General Kiyofumi Iwata (JGSDF, ret.), Admiral Tomohisa Takei (JMSDF, ret.), and Lt. Gen. Masayuki Hironaka (JASDF, ret.) will discuss how Japan’s defense posture should evolve in the ever-changing security environment in the Asia-Pacific and beyond. These recently retired JSDF general officers are each visionaries in their services and offer perspectives built on decades of experience with Japan’s security.
“Voices from Japan: National Security Speaker Series” is an annual public symposium that brings high-profile, senior-level Japanese individuals to Washington, D.C. for discussions about how the U.S. and Japan can tackle today’s global security challenges under the U.S.-Japan alliance and in partnership with like-minded nations. It provides a unique platform for Japanese officials to share their insights and concerns on a range of international issues.
Led by Director Yuki Tatsumi since 2004, the Japan Program seeks to deepen the understanding of Japan’s evolving role in the international community and its implications for the U.S.-Japan alliance. The program continues Stimson’s 28-year tradition of providing expert analysis on key global security issues. For more information about previous Voices from Japan events, click here.
WHAT: A discussion on the evolution of Japan’s defense posture in the ever-changing Asia-Pacific security environment with General Kiyofumi Iwata, Admiral Tomohisa Takei, and Lt. Gen. Masayuki Hironaka.
WHERE: The Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave., NW, 8th Floor, Washington DC, 20036
WHEN: September 15, 2017, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
FOLLOW : @StimsonCenter on Twitter for event news and use #StimsonToday to join the conversation.
Featuring:
General Kiyofumi Iwata, JGSDF, ret.; 34th Chief of Staff, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
General Kiyofumi Iwata (ret.), Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), is the 34th Chief of Staff of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (2013-2016). His previous positions include Commander, Northern Army (2012-2013); Vice Chief of Staff, Joint Staff (2011-2012); Commanding General, the 7th Division, JGSDF (2010-2011); Director of the GSO Personnel Department (2008-2010); and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Middle Army (2006-2008), among others. General Iwata is a graduate of the National Defense Academy, the JGSDF Staff College, and the National Institute for Defense Studies in Japan. He also studied at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He retired from the JGSDF in July 2016, and currently serves as General Advisor to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.
Admiral Tomohisa Takei, JMSDF, ret.; 32nd Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force; Distinguished International Fellow, U.S. Naval War College
Admiral Tomohisa Takei (ret.), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), is the 32nd Chief of Staff of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (2014-2016). His previous positions include Commandant, JMSDF Yokosuka District (2012-2014); Vice Chief of Staff, JMSDF (2011-2012); Commandant, JMSDF Ominato District (2010-2011); Director, the MSO Operations and Plans Department (2008-2010); Chief of Staff, Kure District (2007-2008); Director, the C4I Systems Department (J6), Joint Chief of Staff (2006-2007), among others. He joined the JMSDF after graduating from the National Defense Academy, and he has studied at the U.S. Naval War College. In 2016, Admiral Takei was awarded L’ordre national de la légion d’honneur by the Government of France. Admiral Takei retired from the JMSDF in 2016, and assumed the position of Distinguished International Fellow in the International Programs Department at the U.S. Naval War College in April 2017.
Lt. Gen. Masayuki Hironaka, JASDF, ret.; Senior Fellow, Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation
Lt. Gen. Masayuki Hironaka (ret.), Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), is a senior fellow at the Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation in Tokyo. He entered the JASDF as a graduate of the National Defense Academy. He was assigned to numerous operational, command, and staff positions, serving as Director of the Personnel and Training Department in the Air Staff Office, Director of the Operations Department in the Joint Staff Office, Commander of the Western Sector Air Defense Force, Commander of Air Support Command, and Commander of Air Training Command. After his retirement in 2014, he also served as a national security and foreign affairs research fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, and an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, D.C. from 2015 to 2017. He received a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and was a military fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. and at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation.
Yuki Tatsumi, Director, Japan Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)
Yuki Tatsumi is the Director of Stimson’s Japan Program and a Senior Associate in the East Asia Program. Previously, Tatsumi worked as a Research Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and as the Special Assistant for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. In September 2006, Tatsumi testified before the House Committee on International Relations. She is a recipient of the 2009 Yasuhiro Nakasone Incentive Award and in 2012 earned the Letter of Appreciation from the Ministry of National Policy of Japan for her contributions to advancing mutual understanding between the United States and Japan. A native of Tokyo, Tatsumi holds a B.A. in liberal arts from the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan and an M.A. in international economics and Asian studies from Johns Hopkins University SAIS.
**For the English Translation of this video please click here**
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